About Prairie Lakes Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Prairie Lakes Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Watertown, SD, serving patients and families in Codington County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1989, Prairie Lakes Hospice has provided 37 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Prairie Lakes Hospice serves an average of 14 patients per day, covering 50 ZIP codes across its service area. 28% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Prairie Lakes Hospice has earned a 4-star CMS quality rating based on caregiver survey results, reflecting strong satisfaction across communication, symptom management, and emotional support. The facility's Hospice Care Index score is 10 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Watertown, SD, consider quality ratings, caregiver satisfaction surveys, the hospice's experience with your loved one's condition, and the service area. Since hospice care is typically delivered in the home, the responsiveness and availability of the care team are critical factors.
At a Glance
Caregiver Satisfaction
CAHPS Hospice Survey results from bereaved family caregivers
Very Good
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Prairie Lakes Hospice has earned a 4-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers. This rating reflects above-average satisfaction across emotional support, symptom management, team communication, and respect. This places Prairie Lakes Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Watertown, SD.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for emotional & spiritual support, above the national average of 90%.
Treated with Respect
Whether the patient was treated with dignity and respect
93% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for treated with respect, above the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
78% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
84% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for team communication, above the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
78% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, consistent with the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
81% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for training for family caregivers, above the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
83% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), consistent with the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
92% of caregivers gave Prairie Lakes Hospice a top rating for would recommend, above the national average of 84%.
Source: CMS CAHPS Hospice Survey · Vertical markers indicate national average
Quality Process Measures
CMS hospice care quality indicators vs. national benchmarks
Treatment Preferences Documented
Patients whose treatment preferences were discussed and documented
100.0%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
97.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.1%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
100.0%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.6%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
97.7%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
95.6%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Prairie Lakes Hospice's Hospice Care Index (HCI) score is 10 out of 10, above the national average of 8.8. This composite score reflects stronger-than-average performance across measures of nursing continuity, care transitions, and presence near death.
90.7% of Prairie Lakes Hospice's patients received visits from the hospice team in their final days of life, significantly above the national average of 47.9%. This is one of the most meaningful quality indicators — having the hospice team present during the final hours provides critical comfort to both patients and families.
Visits Near Death
Patients with visits in last 3 days of life
98.5%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
33.3
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
12.4%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
7.1%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
4.2%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
16.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
4.2%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
0%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
1.4%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$4,980
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Prairie Lakes Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (32%), followed by dementia (24%), cardiovascular disease (15%), respiratory disease (13%), other conditions (13%). While cancer has historically been the most common hospice diagnosis, the proportion of non-cancer patients has grown substantially over the past decade.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Prairie Lakes Hospice delivers 28% of its care in patients' homes, with 61% in skilled nursing settings, 7% in assisted living settings, 2% in nursing facility settings, 2% in hospital settings. The significant proportion of facility-based care may reflect patients requiring higher levels of medical support or those without available home caregivers. The hospice serves an average of 14 patients per day.
Skilled Nursing
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Hospital
Doctors at Prairie Lakes Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Stephanie Peyton-aas, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Mian Javaid, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Stacie Lenssen, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Judy Beumer, MD
General Practice
Dr. John Kinross-wright, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Kristen Pickrel, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Michael Lowe, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Aaron Pickrel, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. William Devine, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Sara Zoelle, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Leshea Buttke, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Deborah Kullerd, MD
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Derek Kindelspire, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Daniel Reiffenberger, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Gregory Larson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Allison Geier, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jessica Horn, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Aaron Shives, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Elizabeth Gravley, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Cecil, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Prairie Lakes Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Prairie Lakes Hospice?
Prairie Lakes Hospice has a 4-star quality rating from CMS based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers, which evaluates satisfaction across areas including symptom management, communication, and emotional support.
What conditions does Prairie Lakes Hospice primarily treat?
Prairie Lakes Hospice's patient population includes cancer (32%), dementia (24%), cardiovascular disease (15%), respiratory disease (13%), other conditions (13%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Prairie Lakes Hospice provide care?
Prairie Lakes Hospice provides care in skilled nursing (61%), patient's home (28%), assisted living (7%), nursing facility (2%), hospital (2%).
How large is Prairie Lakes Hospice?
Prairie Lakes Hospice serves an average of 14 patients per day and covers 50 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Prairie Lakes Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Prairie Lakes Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·